{"title":"Age-dependent expression and heritability of owner-reported dermatological symptoms in Labrador retrievers: Implications for breeding strategies.","authors":"B Deboutte, L Lambrecht, B J G Broeckx","doi":"10.1111/jsap.70198","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>In decentralised breeding programmes, consistent health monitoring can be challenging, yet accurate phenotyping is essential for informed selection. This study evaluated whether a concise owner-based online survey could capture clinically relevant dermatologic signs in a Belgian assistance-dog breeding population, and whether the resulting phenotypes could support breeding decisions.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>Survey data were collected between June 2024 and October 2025 from 223 Labrador retrievers (median age 2.1 years, range 11 months to 8 years). Owners reported the frequency of otitis externa, general itch, paw biting, skin redness and bald spots, recoded into ordinal symptom scores and summed into a total symptom score. Analyses were performed for the full population and by age group (younger vs. older than 3 years).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Overall, 38% of dogs had a non-zero total symptom score. Confirmed canine atopic dermatitis was associated with markedly higher scores (rate ratio = 9.3, 95% CI = 7.2 to 11.9). Each one-point increase in combined parental score corresponded to approximately 9% higher expected offspring score (rate ratio = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.06 to 1.12). Overall heritability was 0.52 (95% highest posterior density 0.24 to 0.75), with substantial age-related variation: h<sup>2</sup> = 0.05 in dogs under 3 years and h<sup>2</sup> = 0.81 in dogs aged 3 years or older.</p><p><strong>Clinical significance: </strong>A brief owner-based survey can generate semi-quantitative dermatological phenotypes associated with confirmed disease and familial risk. Symptom expression in younger dogs showed low heritability, which may reflect incomplete phenotype expression at this age but could also result from environmental influences, whereas phenotypes in older dogs seem to more strongly reflect genetic predisposition, suggesting later-life records may better support selection decisions in decentralised breeding programmes.</p>","PeriodicalId":17062,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Small Animal Practice","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.5000,"publicationDate":"2026-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Small Animal Practice","FirstCategoryId":"97","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jsap.70198","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"VETERINARY SCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objectives: In decentralised breeding programmes, consistent health monitoring can be challenging, yet accurate phenotyping is essential for informed selection. This study evaluated whether a concise owner-based online survey could capture clinically relevant dermatologic signs in a Belgian assistance-dog breeding population, and whether the resulting phenotypes could support breeding decisions.
Materials and methods: Survey data were collected between June 2024 and October 2025 from 223 Labrador retrievers (median age 2.1 years, range 11 months to 8 years). Owners reported the frequency of otitis externa, general itch, paw biting, skin redness and bald spots, recoded into ordinal symptom scores and summed into a total symptom score. Analyses were performed for the full population and by age group (younger vs. older than 3 years).
Results: Overall, 38% of dogs had a non-zero total symptom score. Confirmed canine atopic dermatitis was associated with markedly higher scores (rate ratio = 9.3, 95% CI = 7.2 to 11.9). Each one-point increase in combined parental score corresponded to approximately 9% higher expected offspring score (rate ratio = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.06 to 1.12). Overall heritability was 0.52 (95% highest posterior density 0.24 to 0.75), with substantial age-related variation: h2 = 0.05 in dogs under 3 years and h2 = 0.81 in dogs aged 3 years or older.
Clinical significance: A brief owner-based survey can generate semi-quantitative dermatological phenotypes associated with confirmed disease and familial risk. Symptom expression in younger dogs showed low heritability, which may reflect incomplete phenotype expression at this age but could also result from environmental influences, whereas phenotypes in older dogs seem to more strongly reflect genetic predisposition, suggesting later-life records may better support selection decisions in decentralised breeding programmes.
期刊介绍：
Journal of Small Animal Practice (JSAP) is a monthly peer-reviewed publication integrating clinical research papers and case reports from international sources, covering all aspects of medicine and surgery relating to dogs, cats and other small animals. These papers facilitate the dissemination and implementation of new ideas and techniques relating to clinical veterinary practice, with the ultimate aim of promoting best practice. JSAP publishes high quality original articles, as well as other scientific and educational information. New developments are placed in perspective, encompassing new concepts and peer commentary. The target audience is veterinarians primarily engaged in the practise of small animal medicine and surgery.
In addition to original articles, JSAP will publish invited editorials (relating to a manuscript in the same issue or a topic of current interest), review articles, which provide in-depth discussion of important clinical issues, and other scientific and educational information from around the world.
The final decision on publication of a manuscript rests with the Editorial Board and ultimately with the Editor. All papers, regardless of type, represent the opinion of the authors and not necessarily that of the Editor, the Association or the Publisher.
The Journal of Small Animal Practice is published on behalf of the British Small Animal Veterinary Association and is also the official scientific journal of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association
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